A combination touch and transducer input system is provided, which facilitates user input into an electronic system with a finger and/or a transducer (e.g., a stylus). The system includes a transducer configured to generate an electric field, and a sensor including an array of electrodes and a controller. The transducer is configured to transmit digital data, such as pen pressure data and switch status data, to the sensor. For example, the transducer comprises electronic circuitry configured to encode the digital data in a signal for transmission to the sensor. The sensor controller is configured to operate both in a touch sensing mode and in a transducer sensing mode. During the touch sensing mode, the controller determines a position of a proximate object (e.g., a finger) by capacitively sensing the object with the array of electrodes. During the transducer sensing mode, the controller determines a position of the transducer based on a signal received by the array of electrodes from the transducer, and also receives and decodes the digital data encoded in the received signal. Digital data can be encoded in a signal using any suitable digital modulation techniques, such as a Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) technique.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. An input system composed of a position indicator and a sensor configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator, wherein said sensor comprises: (a) an array of electrodes that includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction; and (b) a controller coupled to the array of electrodes and is configured to control a touch mode operation, which determines a position of a proximate object on the array of electrodes by sensing the object proximate to the array based on capacitive coupling using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in at least one of said first direction and second direction, and to control a position indicator mode operation, which determines a position of the position indicator on the array of electrodes using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in both of said first direction and second direction; wherein said position indicator comprises: (i) a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; and (ii) a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value; wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.
An input system has a position indicator (like a stylus) and a sensor to detect its location. The sensor has an array of electrodes arranged in two different directions (think X and Y). A controller manages the sensor in two modes: touch mode, which detects a finger using capacitive sensing on at least one set of electrodes (X or Y), and position indicator mode, which detects the stylus using signals from both sets of electrodes (X and Y). The stylus contains a pressure sensor at its tip and a transmitter. The transmitter sends pressure data as digital information in a data frame format. The data frame includes start bits to mark the frame's beginning and value bits representing the pressure level.
2. The input system of claim 1 , wherein the position indicator generates an electric field, and a position of the position indicator on the array of electrodes is determined based on said electric field generated by the position indicator.
The input system described above includes a stylus that generates an electric field. The sensor determines the stylus position by detecting this electric field on the electrode array.
3. The input system of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is capable of transmitting said digital data in a defined frequency channel selected from a plurality of frequency channels.
In the input system, the stylus's transmitter can send digital data on a specific frequency channel chosen from a selection of different frequency channels.
4. The input system of claim 3 , wherein said sensor includes a filter capable of detecting nearby noise, and said sensor is configured to instruct the position indicator which frequency channel should be selected, based on an output from the filter.
The input system includes a sensor with a filter to detect nearby electronic noise. Based on the filter's output, the sensor tells the stylus which frequency channel to use for transmitting data, avoiding noisy frequencies.
5. The input system of claim 4 , further comprising a display including a sensing surface configured to sense a position indicated by the position indicator, wherein said filter detects noise from said display to cause said sensor to instruct the position indicator which frequency channel should be selected.
The input system includes a display with a sensing surface that detects the stylus position. The noise filter in the sensor detects noise coming from the display itself. This noise detection causes the sensor to instruct the stylus to switch to a cleaner frequency channel.
6. The input system of claim 1 , wherein the digital data in the data frame format further includes data type bit(s) indicative of a data type, and said data type bit(s) indicate that data transmitted via said transmitter to said sensor is pressure data.
In the input system, the data frame transmitted by the stylus includes data type bits. These bits indicate that the transmitted data is pressure information from the stylus tip.
7. The input system of claim 1 , wherein, in response to the pressure applied to the tip of the position indicator as detected by said pressure sensor exceeding a defined threshold value, said digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor represented in the value bit(s), together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, are transmitted as the digital data in the data frame format, via said transmitter, to said sensor.
The input system transmits pressure data only when the pressure on the stylus tip exceeds a certain threshold. When this threshold is met, the digital value representing the pressure, along with start bits, are sent in the data frame from the stylus to the sensor.
8. The input system of claim 1 , wherein the digital data in the data frame format is transmitted to said sensor according to a defined transmission method.
In the input system, the digital data transmitted from the stylus to the sensor follows a specific, pre-defined transmission method.
9. The input system of claim 8 , wherein the digital data in the data frame format is transmitted to said sensor according to an RF wireless communication method.
The data frame from the stylus is transmitted to the sensor using an RF (radio frequency) wireless communication method.
10. The input system of claim 8 , wherein the digital data in the data frame format is received by said sensor via said array of electrodes.
The sensor receives the digital data frame from the stylus through the array of electrodes. The electrodes act as antennas to pick up the transmitted signal.
11. An input system composed of a position indicator and a sensor configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator, wherein said sensor comprises: (a) an array of electrodes that includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction; and (b) a position determination controller coupled to the array of electrodes and is configured to determine a position of a proximate object on the array of electrodes by sensing the object proximate to the array based on capacitive coupling using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in at least one of said first direction and second direction, and is further configured to determine a position of the position indicator on the array of electrodes using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in both of said first direction and second direction; wherein said position indicator comprises: (i) a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; and (ii) a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value; wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.
An input system has a position indicator (like a stylus) and a sensor to detect its location. The sensor has an array of electrodes arranged in two different directions (think X and Y). A controller manages the sensor. The controller determines a position of a proximate object on the array of electrodes by sensing the object proximate to the array based on capacitive coupling using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in at least one of said first direction and second direction, and is further configured to determine a position of the position indicator on the array of electrodes using signals caused in the electrodes arranged in both of said first direction and second direction. The stylus contains a pressure sensor at its tip and a transmitter. The transmitter sends pressure data as digital information in a data frame format. The data frame includes start bits to mark the frame's beginning and value bits representing the pressure level.
12. An input system composed of a position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction, wherein said position indicator is capable of detecting at least one of pressure information on pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator, side switch status information on a status of a side switch provided on the position indicator, identification information of the position indicator, tilt information of the position indicator, and rotation information of the position indicator, said position indicator including a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format; wherein said data frame format includes start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, data type bit(s) indicative of a data type, and value bit(s) indicative of a value; and wherein the data type bit(s) indicative of a data type of the information detected by the position indicator, the value bit(s) indicative of a digital value corresponding to the information detected by the position indicator, and the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame form the digital data in the data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted via said transmitter to said sensor.
An input system has a stylus and a sensor. The sensor detects the stylus's position using an electrode array arranged in two directions (X and Y). The stylus can detect pressure, side switch status, identification information, tilt, and rotation. The stylus has a transmitter that sends this information to the sensor as digital data in a specific data frame format. This format includes start bits, data type bits (indicating what kind of information is being sent), and value bits (representing the data's value). The data type bits, value bits, and start bits together form the complete data frame sent to the sensor.
13. The input system of claim 12 , wherein said position indicator is capable of detecting at least two of said pressure information, said side switch status information, said identification information, said tilt information and said rotation information, and the digital data is formed in data frame formats corresponding to respective ones of the information to be transmitted to said sensor.
In the input system, the stylus can detect and transmit two or more data types: pressure, side switch status, ID, tilt, and rotation. Each type of information is sent in its own separate data frame.
14. A position indicator for use in an input system composed of the position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction, the position indicator comprising: a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; and a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value; wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.
A stylus for an input system includes a pressure sensor to measure pressure on its tip. It also has a transmitter to send information to a sensor as digital data in a specific format. This format includes start bits (marking the beginning) and value bits (representing the pressure). The digital value corresponding to the pressure is encoded in these value bits, and, combined with the start bits, makes up the complete data frame sent to the sensor. The sensor detects the stylus's position using an electrode array arranged in two directions (X and Y).
15. The position indicator of claim 14 , wherein the digital data in the data frame format further includes data type bit(s) indicative of a data type, and said data type bit(s) indicate that data transmitted via said transmitter to said sensor is pressure data.
The stylus includes data type bits in the transmitted data frame. These bits specify that the data being sent is pressure information.
16. The position indicator of claim 14 which, in response to the pressure applied to the tip of the position indicator as detected by said pressure sensor exceeding a defined threshold value, transmits the digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor represented in the value bit(s), together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, as the digital data in the data frame format, via said transmitter to said sensor.
The stylus only transmits pressure data if the pressure on its tip exceeds a set threshold. Once that threshold is reached, the pressure value and start bits are packaged into the data frame and sent to the sensor.
17. The position indicator of claim 14 , wherein the digital data in the data frame format is transmitted to said sensor according to a defined transmission method.
The stylus transmits data to the sensor using a defined method of transmission.
18. The position indicator of claim 17 , wherein the digital data in the data frame format is transmitted to said sensor according to an RF wireless communication method.
The stylus uses RF (radio frequency) wireless communication to transmit the data frame to the sensor.
19. The position indicator of claim 17 , wherein the digital data in the data frame format is received by said sensor via said array of electrodes.
The sensor receives the stylus's data frame through its array of electrodes, which act as antennas.
20. A position indicator for use in an input system composed of the position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction, the position indicator comprising: a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; and a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value, in a defined frequency channel selected from a plurality of frequency channels; wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.
A stylus includes a pressure sensor to measure pressure on its tip and a transmitter to send information as digital data. The data frame includes start bits and value bits representing pressure. It transmits this data on a specific frequency channel chosen from several available channels. The sensor detects the stylus's position using an electrode array arranged in two directions (X and Y).
21. A position indicator for use in an input system composed of the position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction, wherein said position indicator is capable of detecting at least one of pressure information on pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator, side switch status information on a status of a side switch provided on the position indicator, identification information of the position indicator, tilt information of the position indicator, and rotation information of the position indicator; said position indicator including a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format; wherein said data frame format includes start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, data type bit(s) indicative of a data type, and value bit(s) indicative of a value; and wherein the data type bit(s) indicative of a data type of the information detected by the position indicator, the value bit(s) indicative of a digital value corresponding to the information detected by the position indicator, and the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame form the digital data in the data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted via said transmitter to said sensor.
The stylus can detect and transmit pressure, side switch status, stylus ID, tilt, or rotation information. It sends this data to the sensor using a data frame format with start bits, data type bits (specifying the type of information), and value bits (representing the data's value). The sensor detects the stylus's position using an electrode array arranged in two directions (X and Y).
22. A position indicator for use in an input system composed of the position indicator and a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a position indicated by said position indicator based on a plurality of electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electrodes arranged in a second direction different from said first direction, the position indicator comprising: a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure applied to a tip of the position indicator; a transmitter configured to transmit information to said sensor as digital data in a data frame format that includes at least start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame and value bit(s) indicative of a value; and a power source configured to drive the position indicator; wherein a digital value corresponding to the pressure detected by said pressure sensor is represented in the value bit(s) which, together with the start bit(s) indicative of a start of a frame, form the digital data in said data frame format, and the digital data is transmitted, via said transmitter, to said sensor.
The stylus includes a pressure sensor, a transmitter to send data frames, and a power source to operate. The data frame has start bits and value bits representing the pressure. The sensor detects the stylus's position using an electrode array arranged in two directions (X and Y).
23. The position indicator of claim 22 , wherein said power source includes a power storage device.
The stylus's power source includes a power storage device, like a rechargeable battery or capacitor.
24. The position indicator of claim 23 , wherein said power storage device includes a capacitor or a battery.
The power storage device inside the stylus is either a capacitor or a battery.
25. The position indicator of claim 23 , wherein the power storage device is configured to cordlessly receive drive power.
The power storage device in the stylus can receive power wirelessly (without a cable).
26. The position indicator of claim 23 , wherein drive power is transmitted from a transmitter arranged on or near said array of electrodes and is stored in said power storage device.
The stylus wirelessly receives power from a transmitter located near the electrode array. This power is then stored in the stylus's power storage device (battery or capacitor).
27. The position indicator of claim 23 further comprising a charging connector, wherein the power storage device is charged via said charging connector.
The stylus includes a charging connector that allows the power storage device (battery or capacitor) to be charged via a cable.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 28, 2009
July 9, 2013
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